1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses used in a network system in which a plurality of user terminal apparatuses connected to the network can share peripheral devices, such as printers and scanners, connected to the network; such network systems; device-map display methods; and storage media which store processing steps in a computer-readable form for implementing the above.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since personal computers (hereinafter called PCs) and peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners (image reading devices), and digital cameras, have become more prevalent, a user frequently uses a personal computer to read image information of a document through a scanner to generate electronic data, or edits the document and prints it through a printer.
Networks such as local area networks (LANs) have also become widely popular, and a demand for sharing peripheral devices, such as printers, modems, and scanners, on networks has been increasing. When various peripheral devices are shared in a network, overall cost is suppressed and a space for installing such devices is maintained as small as possible.
In a conventional network system, however, the status (condition of use) of each peripheral device connected to the network is checked and indicated for the sake of the user. When a large number of peripheral devices are connected to the network, it takes more time to check the status of each of the peripheral devices. In addition, application software for indicating the result (status information of the peripheral devices) of the checking may be delayed in being activated.